Ben Schoon is a Senior Editor at 9to5Google, working for the publication as one of its primary news writers since 2016.
In 2013, Ben helped start an independent tech publication where he learned the skills used at 9to5Google including writing, product photography, and videography. He is located in the city of Winston-Salem in North Carolina where he lives with his wife Melissa. Ben is an avid disc golf player.
He primarily covers Android products, including Google Pixel devices, Samsung Galaxy smartphones, as well as devices from OnePlus, Oppo, Motorola, and more. Beyond just covering news about these products, Ben also spends time using these products himself, speaking from experience with the articles he writes. Some of Ben’s most recent hands-on reviews include; Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel Watch 2, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, Motorola Razr+, HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook, and more.
Ben is also a leading source for information about Google’s Android TV, diving deeply into important parts of the platform including its powerful Operator Tier, explaining future changes to the platform, and reviewing its products such as Chromecast with Google TV, Nvidia Shield TV, and more.
In 2019, Ben leaked one of the first in-person photos of the Pixel 4 before later revealing the Recorder and Pixel Themes apps months ahead of launch. In 2020, Ben also reported on multiple upcoming Pixel devices including Pixel 5a and the first report of Google working on a foldable Pixel smartphone. That same month, he was also the first to correctly report the $49 price point of what became the Chromecast with Google TV.
Ben Schoon is active on Twitter, @nexusben, but can also be found on Instagram and LinkedIn. For questions or tips, you can email him directly, and his portfolio is also available online.
Email: schoon@9to5mac.com | Encrypted Email: benschoon@protonmail.com
There are a lot of Android features that go unused because they’re difficult to access, but there are often handy shortcuts that you simply don’t know about. One of those on Google Pixel devices is a shortcut for notification history that’s quickly become my favorite trick.
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The Google Home Panel coming to Google TV devices is an excited and overdue addition to the platform, but we’ve noticed that it’s rather limited in functionality.
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After years of us calling for the feature to be added and over two months after it was announced, Google Maps is finally rolling out support for incident reporting on Android Auto.
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Smart TVs can often be a mixed bag, with “cheap” options suffering in performance while the pricey options are great across the board, but also expensive. Hisense, with its lineup of Google TV options, has found a pretty excellent middle-ground with its ongoing U7 series, and this year’s model is no exception.
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Samsung has been putting out pretty solid earbuds for years now, but took a new approach with the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro – shamelessly copying the competition. And, you know what? It totally works.
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The Google Meet app for Android TV and Google TV probably isn’t something that’s widely used, but it is rather handy. However, it’s looking like Google is preparing to shut down the app soon.
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If you’ve picked up a new Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, you might have to go without a case for a little while as many options are currently not available through the Google Store.
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The fun little backgrounds seen in Google Calendar events are apparently getting an expansion, as Google is preparing some new “flairs.”
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Recent updates to Google Maps on Android Auto have made it easier to use and edit your home and work addresses, including helping to surface those presets if you’ve not used them before.
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The Nvidia Shield is easily the most beloved streaming device in the Android space, but without an update over the past five years and without one on the horizon, should you be looking at the Google TV Streamer as a replacement? Here’s what you should know.
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In an unexpected change, Google TV seems to now be blocking the ability to take a screenshot locally on the device with a remapped remote button.
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If you’ve got a pair of Nothing earbuds that you use with something that’s not a smartphone, you might find a new web app that can control the earbuds useful.
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Earlier this year Google added the Fitbit Ace LTE to its wearables lineup as a Wear OS-powered smartwatch aimed at kids. Right now, though, the usually $230 smartwatch is available for just $170.
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Qualcomm is set to unveil its next chipset soon and, with it being a major update, the company is apparently updating its branding with the new chip to be called “Snapdragon 8 Elite.”
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Xiaomi has just announced its new 14T series and the global launch of the Mix Flip foldable, and they’re the first devices in an expansion of Circle to Search and Gemini Nano.
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Samsung’s latest flagship tablets have arrived, but with some significant changes including no smaller size and no Snapdragon processors, instead switching to MediaTek.
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Samsung has just unveiled the Galaxy S24 FE, its latest “Fan Edition” smartphone, but with a questionable value proposition for those “fans.”
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Motorola MA1 is the most popular wireless Android Auto adapter, but for the past month it’s been missing in action. Finally, the adapter is back in stock.
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One of the useful new features of the Google TV Streamer is a customizable shortcut button on the bottom that can be used to open apps and quickly access other features. Here’s what you can do with it.
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Today during its Meta Connect event, Meta announced further expansions into augmented and mixed reality through updates to the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, a new and more affordable Meta Quest 3S VR headset, and a first look at new “Orion” AR glasses.
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The Samsung Galaxy Store has quietly enacted a new requirement that users have a Samsung account before downloading or even updating apps, but there’s no indication of this until the last minute.
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The new Google Streamer is a big upgrade over the Chromecast it replaces, but the $99 set-top box is already heavily delayed for new orders, with shipments going out no sooner than late October from the Google Store.
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Earlier this year Android’s new “The Bot” mascot got an updated and adorable new mini figure, and now Google has started selling one that glows in the dark.
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One of the long-awaited features debuting with the Google TV Streamer is the ability to get Nest Doorbell notifications up on the big screen. Here’s how that works.
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